Tagged: masq1
Beached by Ros Baxter
(Cover picture courtesy of NetGalley.)
How far will a gentle sea princess go to save the home she loves?
When the clerk at a burger joint is assaulted for trying to sell a fish burger to a hot blonde, it’s just the beginning of a clash between Land and Sea. The world is going mad, and Princess Lecanora is on a special mission to stop it. There are just a few complications…
First, life on the land is a bit harder to adjust to than expected, what with the wearing of clothing and the consuming of delicious (but pointless) calories. Second, the most evil magician the world has ever seen wants her as his bride — consensually or otherwise. Finally, a completely inappropriate gun-toting mercenary who goes against every one of her pacifist principles keeps rocking her world.
As the forces of darkness gather, Lecanora must come to terms with the lengths she will go to in order to save the sea home she has always known, and the land she has come to love.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
When I requested this book through NetGalley I had no idea this was the second book in a trilogy. Even when I went to check on Goodreads there was no clear indication this was part of a series, so I went ahead and requested it unsuspectingly. Still, I’ll try my best to give Beached a fair review. (If you’re curious, Fish Out of Water is the first book.)
This one for me was a solid ‘meh’. Sure the characters were fascinating and I could definitely appreciate the world-building but this book lacked emotion. I was being told Lecanora was confused, sad and/or in love, but I never really felt it. Even when there was supposedly a heart-wrenching death scene, I never really felt the grief of all the characters that witnessed it. Ros Baxter’s writing just lacked emotion.
Otherwise, her characters were good. I like how Rania is a tough-talking cop (one of my favourite types of heroines). She’s an actual strong female and I liked seeing her compared to Lecanora, who is more gentle and naive about the world of humans. I liked Rania better than I liked Lecanora, but that’s more of a personal preference than anything. Despite the lack of emotion, Lecanora was well fleshed-out and I could relate to her struggle to find who she is and who she wants to be.
The plot was very fast-paced. There was twist after twist and although the ending was a little predictable, I appreciated the fact that the climax itself was not. Overall I really couldn’t tell where the story was going and Ros Baxter’s writing kept me on the edge of my seat. She has a talent for suspense and I suspect with a little work on the emotional side of her writing that she could make my top 10 list of favourite authors. As it is, I generally liked the characters, the world-building and the plot but the lack of emotion was a definite downside.
The world-building was fascinating. I liked how Ros Baxter borrowed from Norse mythology to create Aegira rather than going for your typical sort of mermaid story. The way the rulers of Aegira are chosen because of their curse is fascinating as well and I liked how that plot point was resolved by the end. Obviously I missed out on some things because I didn’t read the first book, but there was enough of a summary in the first few chapters that I could get the gist of what happened in the first book.
So overall? A decent novel, but it would have been better with some more emotion.
I give this book 3.5/5 stars.
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
The youngest, half-goblin son of the Emperor has lived his entire life in exile, distant from the Imperial Court and the deadly intrigue that suffuses it. But when his father and three sons in line for the throne are killed in an “accident,” he has no choice but to take his place as the only surviving rightful heir.
Entirely unschooled in the art of court politics, he has no friends, no advisors, and the sure knowledge that whoever assassinated his father and brothers could make an attempt on his life at any moment.
Surrounded by sycophants eager to curry favor with the naïve new emperor, and overwhelmed by the burdens of his new life, he can trust nobody. Amid the swirl of plots to depose him, offers of arranged marriages, and the specter of the unknown conspirators who lurk in the shadows, he must quickly adjust to life as the Goblin Emperor. All the while, he is alone, and trying to find even a single friend… and hoping for the possibility of romance, yet also vigilant against the unseen enemies that threaten him, lest he lose his throne – or his life.
This exciting fantasy novel, set against the pageantry and color of a fascinating, unique world, is a memorable debut for a great new talent.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
Can I just say wow?
That one word pretty much sums up my whole experience with The Goblin Emperor. Really, it does. The world-building was unique and three dimensional, the characters were memorable, the political intrigue was constant and the plot was fascinating. I’ll start with my favourite part of the whole novel, though: the world-building.
This world of goblins and elves is amazing; there are no other words for it. At first it seemed like a traditional nobody-becoming-king story, but then I realized that Katherine Addison had put her own unique twist on it. This isn’t your typical fantasy world, oh no! It’s set in a society where airships are used, where technology is slowly being more and more relied upon but there are people trying to hold back progress. The monarchy is still around and I like how the court was infused with a more Eastern flavour. If you’re familiar with the Chinese and Japanese forms of monarchy you’ll be able to pick out where Katherine Addison borrowed from those cultures to create her world. It’s honestly refreshing to see a writer take old elements from Western fantasy (elves and goblins) and put them in an entirely new setting.
Maia, our confused protagonist, was wonderful. He was the fourth half-goblin, half-elf son of the former Emperor, who died in an accident that took out the three in line for the throne ahead of him. Maia was never raised to be Emperor, in fact he was abused physically and mentally by Setheris, the exile sent to look after him. Seeing him suddenly in a position of supreme power over everyone is quite a jarring change but it feels like he deserves it. Except that the position of Emperor isn’t all its cracked up to be: there are plots against his life, he has no friends at court and he has absolutely no privacy. It’s stressful for him but I love how he learns to navigate the politics and set himself apart from his father as a just Emperor.
The only thing that could have used a little work was the plot. Don’t get me wrong, though. It was fascinating, very intense at times and I couldn’t put the book down. But it would have been nice for Katherine Addison to reveal a little more information to her readers just a little sooner. She did a good job avoiding info-dumps but I would have definitely preferred a little more information about her fascinating fantasy world sooner. The names were a little confusing and extremely hard on my poor English-speaking tongue, but once you immerse yourself in her fantasy world you start to get the hang of them and the formal vs. informal pronouns and titles.
If you like fantasy or steampunk (or both!) you’ll love this book. Go out and pre-order it immediately because it comes out on April 1.
I give this book 4.5/5 stars.
Shadows of the Past by Carmen Stefanescu
(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
When Anne and Neil leave on a one-week holiday hoping to reconcile after a two-year separation, little do they know that destiny has other plans for them. Their discovery of human bones and a bejeweled cross in the hollow of a tree open the door to the supernatural realm and the anguished life of Genevieve, a nun from medieval England.
Can Anne save her relationship and help Genevieve her eternal rest?
The twists and turns in this paranormal tale keep the reader guessing up to the end and weave themselves together into a quest to rekindle love.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.]
For me, this book was pretty average. The plot was fast-paced, the premise interesting if not entirely unique and it was generally well-written. The characters were well-developed as well. The main problem I had with this one, however, was the dialogue.
The dialogue was pretty bad. Everyone states exactly what they’re thinking, feeling and what their situation is in perfect English. It’s just not realistic to say something like, “Gerard, I feel that our present situation is intolerable. We are stuck in an automobile in the middle of nowhere in the Rocky Mountains. I am cold and by the expression on your face and your shivers I can tell that you are as well.” That’s my own example, but most examples of dialogue (even for the modern characters) in this book were similar and usually much longer.
Other than the dialogue, this book was fairly well-written. I quite enjoyed the plot with all of the flashbacks to Genevieve’s life in the abbey and the premonitions of Anne in the modern day. The descriptions were vivid and the little details are what really made the story. I won’t speak to the historical accuracy because I don’t know enough about the period, but Shadows of the Past certainly made me feel like I was back in Medieval England.
The character development was very good. I enjoyed Genevieve’s transformation from brow-beaten girl to happy nun to a discontent young woman yearning for love. I also liked Anne’s slow forgiveness of Neil for his transgressions. She didn’t forgive him right away but through their trip in the mountains they bonded at a natural rate. I personally would never have forgiven Neil but I’m glad that the two eventually made up and solved the mystery of Genevieve’s tragic death. The novel was more character driven than most but one thing I would have liked to see was more of a spin on the past life trope. It would have been nice to have some sort of twist but Carmen Stefanescu played this trope straight. That’s not necessarily a bad thing in this case but it would have been nice if the ending hadn’t been so predictable.
So overall, despite my dislike of the dialogue I actually quite enjoyed Shadows of the Past and if it sounds interesting to you I’d definitely recommend it.
I give this book 3.5/5 stars.
Lover, Divine by A. Star
(Cover picture courtesy of A Book-a-licious Story.)
Born into one of the wealthiest families in Ireland, Siobhan Law has status, privilege, and a secret: The Greek gods of Olympus and their kingdom in the clouds are real, and her family acts as one of their agents on Earth.
When the beautiful immortal celeste Liam Argyros shows up claiming to have come to Earth to deal in the affairs of the divine, Siobhan finds herself unable to resist his charms. New to the game of passion and seduction, she quickly ends up in over her head, sinking deeper with every attempt Liam makes to win her over.
But Liam’s divine mission is far more complex than she ever imagined and nothing is truly as it seems. Because Liam has a secret of his own: He is Apollo, Olympian god of the Sun, and his mission will never be complete until he has claimed Siobhan’s heart forever.
WARNING: For readers 18+ only. Contains adult language and sexual situations.
[Full disclosure: I was provided a free ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review.]
This one is a bit of a genre leap from my usual YA fare but I was more than willing to give it a try. A. Star is actually Diantha Jones (she uses the name to write all her more ‘adult’ books) but it connects with the Oracle of Delphi series that I so love. Basically, I figured why not?
I was actually quite satisfied with the results. This isn’t just an erotic novel (although it is that). There’s actually a decent story here with fully developed characters and a very real, interesting character-driven plot. The story was wonderful and I found myself laughing out loud at the charming rake that is Apollo. He’s really not my type, but I loved how he and Siobhan had this push-pull relationship dynamic. Siobhan didn’t give in easily and when she did it actually felt like the two of them were in love, not just lusting after each other.
I like how Lover, Divine connects to the Oracle of Delphi series but that reading this isn’t necessary for understanding the series. There are a few interesting new pieces of information thrown in (like how a woman became the heir to the Law family) but nothing really all that shocking if you’ve read the main series. And if you’re totally new to the world of Mythos you’ll still be able to read this book and enjoy it. You’ll probably get just as hooked on Mythos as I am.
The best part of the whole book was that it was completely character-driven. Any plot twists were because of characters’ actions rather than the magical unseen hand of the author. When characters argued there were real-life consequences; things went wrong and people got hurt. Apollo and Siobhan’s semi-forbidden relationship had consequences, certainly. It was nice to see how Siobhan became the woman we meet in the Oracle of Delphi and I wish this book had been longer because there are still interesting events coming up in her future. Still, the ending was satisfying and the teaser for King, Desired was intriguing.
Definitely another hit by Diantha Jones/A. Star!
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
(Cover picture courtesy of The Caster Chronicles Wiki.)
There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that’s what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she’s struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.
Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town’s oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.
In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.
You know what the funny thing is about this book? While it was absolutely dreadful I could not and still cannot muster up the effort of actively loathing it. It’s not even worth the effort.
My number one problem with the book is the writing itself. I had a very hard time believing that this was written in the point of view of a teenager boy because honestly, these two authors had no clue how to write male points of view. Throughout the whole novel while Ethan and Lena are kissing behind lockers, going out driving, etc. Ethan never once thinks of taking things to the next level. Are you kidding? As much as I hate to stereotype, we’re talking about a teenage boy here. Do any (straight) teenage boys you know wax eloquently on the styles of dresses girls wear without even a hint of lust? Ethan was just a conduit for the two female authors to write the story. The real story was supposed to be about Lena.
Unfortunately if you totally ignore Ethan, Lena really isn’t all that interesting. I mean, she acts scared about going Dark and says she’s scared but I just never really connected to her through that fear. I didn’t really feel any of her emotions. She was just an idealized girl-next-door like pretty much every other YA love interest/lead. There was nothing really special about her, even when she made her supposedly ground-breaking choice on the night of her sixteenth birthday.
Can we also talk about the cliché overload? I’m from a small town that’s pretty much the epitome of the small town Hell stereotype and yet I found the portrayal of Gatlin disgusting. Ethan thinks he’s above everyone in the town, even going so far as to say he doesn’t speak with a traditionally Southern accent because his parents were educated. I don’t care how educated you are, if you live in a region your whole life you’re going to pick up some sort of accent. The behaviour of the townspeople is absolutely ridiculous and unbelievable. I know what small towns are really like and although they can be incredibly, ridiculously vicious toward any outsiders, I highly doubt that even with the help of evil the events in Beautiful Creatures would not happen in this day and age. Possibly 50-100 years ago, but not now.
The only thing even remotely interesting throughout the novel were all of the magical elements, even though they were not clearly explained. I like the idea of Casters being able to choose to go Light or Dark at their sixteenth birthday. I don’t like how poorly the curse on Lena’s family was explained because I still am not totally clear on why they are not able to choose hundreds of years after the event. Kind of vindictive spirits, don’t you think? Although the idea was somewhat unique, not much could salvage Beautiful Creatures.
For all my criticisms, I still can’t honestly say that I hate this book. It was poorly written, badly paced and the characters were all Mary Sues but it was so boring that I had to really struggle with myself just to finish it. I couldn’t even ‘hate-read’ it (to use the trendy term). I just really don’t care about this book and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.
I give this book 0.5/5 stars.